The Von Bulow Affair: ID Orders True Crime Scripted Series

by Cindy McLennan, March 28, 2017

Investigation Discovery has ordered a new scripted true crime series. The Von Bulow Affair TV show adaptation of William Wright’s book, tells the story of Claus and Sunny von Bulow. Back in the 1980s, Claus von Bulow was convicted of the attempted murder of his wealthy wife.

While von Bulow’s first conviction was overturned, and he was eventually found not guilty in his re-trial, some people still believe he intentionally gave her an insulin overdose, which left her wasting in a coma for decades. A six-part scripted drama, The Von Bulow Affair (working title) comes from executive producers Meryl Poster and Ilene Rosenzweig, who is also writing.

(New York, N.Y. – March 28, 2017) – “The Von Bulow Affair” was the most scandalous and sensational murder trial of the 1980s, borne from the bowels of high society that existed between white-linen parties of Newport and white-powder mischief at New York’s poshest nightclub. America was riveted by the charges that Danish-born aristocrat Claus von Bulow twice attempted to murder his heiress wife Sunny by insulin overdose to inherit her millions and marry his mistress. Claus’s first conviction was overturned on appeal, and a second trial found him not guilty, but many still believe he’s to blame for her eventual death in 2008, more than a quarter century after falling into a persistent vegetative state.

In a six-part original scripted series from Universal Cable Productions, THE VON BULOW AFFAIR (wt), currently in development for Investigation Discovery, tells the whole story unfiltered, chronicling the death of America’s aristocracy through the tragic demise of one of its last dynastic families. Based on the book “The Von Bulow Affair” by author and playwright William Wright, the series is executive produced by Meryl Poster (Chicago, Cider House Rules, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce) and Ilene Rosenzweig (Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce), who is the writer/executive producer on the project. THE VON BULOW AFFAIR is slated to premiere exclusively on ID in 2018.

“THE VON BULOW AFFAIR was as much a true crime whodunit as it was a family drama that opened the ‘mansion door’ on the dark deeds of, arguably, one of society’s most infamous villains,” said Henry Schleiff, Group President at Discovery. “We are thrilled to partner with the talented team at Universal Cable Productions and acclaimed producer Meryl Poster to tell this nearly unbelievable story to an entirely new generation of viewers.”

“The Von Bulow family story has long fascinated America and the world. There are so many compelling, probing and conflicting facts from what we know that makes it a worthy story to dig into once again,” said Dawn Olmstead, Executive Vice President, Development, Universal Cable Productions. “ID is the ideal partner for this story with their commitment to investigating history’s greatest true crime stories.”

The two mysteries that drive the series are whether Claus killed Sunny and how her fairytale life came to such a dark end. Hollywood remembers the case through its movie dramatization, Reversal of Fortune, based on a book of the same name authored by Claus’s defense attorney. THE VON BULOW AFFAIR tells Sunny’s side of the story for the first time, revealing the fresh-faced all-American society princess who was nicknamed “Sunny” for her happy disposition. The police wrote her death off as a Valley of the Dolls-esque overdose but it was her son Alex and daughter Ala who spearheaded a private investigation that ultimately convinced the Rhode Island D.A. to pursue their stepfather Claus for murder.

THE VON BULOW AFFAIR is produced for Investigation Discovery by Universal Cable Productions, and is executive produced by Meryl Poster and Ilene Rosenzweig, who is also the writer/EP on the project and a former editor at the New York Times. For Investigation Discovery, Angela Bromstad is executive producer, Sara Kozak is senior vice president of production, Jane Latman is executive vice president of development, and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel and Destination America. Meryl Poster is repped by Victoria Cook at Frankfurt, Kurnit Klein & Selz. Ilene Rosenzweig is represented by Gersh, Writ Large and attorney Michael Schenkman.

What do you think? Do you plan to check out The Von Bulow Affair TV series, when it premieres on ID?